


Requiem of L

by Elenore



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Fluff, Half-Sibling Incest, Hurt/Comfort, Incest, Inucest, M/M, WAFF
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-17
Updated: 2016-02-01
Packaged: 2018-04-09 18:07:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4359038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elenore/pseuds/Elenore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things are not always what they seem. A visit to Sesshoumaru on Rin's behalf doesn't change how Inuyasha looks at his brother... much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Limit

**Author's Note:**

> Inuyasha Series © Rumiko Takahashi
> 
> I write this story to attempt at trying out a new writing style. So far this version is my most satisfaction. If you find the writing is confusing, annoying, overly amateur, please know that I am still learning English and I'm only trying to improve myself.
> 
> This is a fan-fiction of Inuyasha, starts at the end of the series. You know, when Sesshoumaru flies by and Kagome screeched her greeting of "Onii-san!" that caused both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru to look at her nastily. I am aware there is a bonus chapter featuring 6 months later after the end of the cannon by Mrs. Takahashi, but I can't consider that lone chapter was the "true ending".
> 
> Please know that the pairing Sesshoumaru/Inuyasha is an incestuous relationship between half-siblings, and both of them are males. So if any of these highly disturb you, please be nice and click on the BACK button.

_What potions have I drunk of siren tears,_  
Distilled from limbecks foul as hell within,  
Applying fears to hopes, and hopes to fears,  
Still losing when I saw myself to win!  
What wretched errors hath my heart committed,  
Whilst it hath thought itself so blessèd never!  
How have mine eyes out of their spheres been fitted  
In the distraction of this madding fever!

_— Sonnet 119, Shakespeare_

* * *

"What are you doing here, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru's voice did not raise however no less demanding. He had no intention to spend his time in companionable silence, no matter how half-welcoming that company truly was. The other unwelcoming half had its root planted way two months back on the day a certain unpleasant priestess called him by the title there was one creature in this entire world held all rights to. Only for being the darling of said creature spared that daring smug face from getting mutilated by his claws, possibly would be revived later by Tenseiga just to live through the process one more time before she was allowed to die for good. The uncharacteristic, albeit momentarily, indulgence in scheming death upon someone he found highly obnoxious just because of her affair with Inuyasha, was more than enough a proof of how high he placed his younger sibling in consideration. In fact, Sesshoumaru could always be himself and help this pathetic human life time of Kagome meeting its epilogue a little sooner and needed not to answer any question after, according to how they all knew about his pure demonic antagonistic personality. That was what the humans believed all demons to be, was it not? And especially Inuyasha, who had witnessed how he attempted murder the girl in front of his eyes once in their Father's Grave before. Sesshoumaru unconsciously flexed his newly regenerated left arm, unable to suppress a smirk that went unnoticed by his companion since he had his back on Inuyasha the whole time, having no reason to change this anytime soon.

It was dusk. Half of the sky had already been swallowed by fast coming darkness, what left of it from the horizon was still trying to reach out for the regal demon. Despite their ability to shine with the intensity of day time had already withered, feeble golden and red lights still possessed enough strength to catch Sesshoumaru's sliver locks fluttering in early evening breeze, outlined his proud frame atop mortally dangerous mountain edge, furthered casting him as the unearthly living being that he was. This was unfair, really. Being born from the same sire yet, even when standing several steps away from each other, one was beyond reach and the other one, himself to be exact, was left starving of affection since the passing of his mother. This also served to remind him how different in reality the both of them were. There was one certain day every month Inuyasha cowered in fear from becoming the prey to be preyed upon by predators that might or might not be _his_ preys on any other days, this day forever marked his life pathetic since birth by other demons who were just as equally pathetic if not more; and Sesshoumaru just walked through another same day without any change of plan at his own pace. That, once upon a time had been a bitter thought from being utterly rejected by his one and last blood relate in the world, now was no more than a dark whisper in the back of his mind. It was still there, dormant, and Inuyasha would still be haunted by it the longer his stubbornness lingered, refused to let himself be moved on.

The appearance of Sesshoumaru in his life was just to ignore him all together and, to remind him of how unneeded his existence was, and yes, let them not forget there was no " _Our_ Father" because there was only " _Sesshoumaru's_ Father". Inuyasha had stopped wondering how someone like Sesshoumaru could do more impact than both Kikyo and Kagome, and his other companions combined. His musing then started a different approach and posed the inquiry of _why not_. Then that too, led him to a much expected dead end and Inuyasha almost gave up his futile attempt at solving the enigmatic puzzle materialized itself in the form of his half-sibling. There had always been the strange need to be in sight of Sesshoumaru, or somehow found himself in the present of his brother, even if the demon only interested in Tessaiga but not its owner. At least, Inuyasha was enough of a fool to fool himself into believing there was some part of Sesshoumaru, however more non-existence than not, did care for him. And a fool he continued to be, enduring the heartbreaking each time, silenced its weeping into numbness, just to see this demon every chance he got, no matter what the absurdity of his verbalized reasons were.

"Rin seems down lately. Everyone is worry about her. I think you need to know." Rin mattered to Sesshoumaru than anything else living in the human village without a shadow of doubt, that was acceptably legit. However it completely unrelated to the necessity of Inuyasha's personal appearance while Kohaku was fully capable of bringing the information to Sesshoumaru well enough, only the slayer boy would take longer because Kirara couldn't sniff the demon out as fast. And Inuyasha just happened to have too much time for himself when Kaede requested someone go find his half-brother.

He was well-aware of his absent saddened Rin. Sesshoumaru couldn't help feeling pleased in a twisted way. That even when living with her own kin who loved her and showered her with sincere affection, his former little ward didn't forget him and reluctant to move on to find her way out of dependency. Sooner or later, his lessen visiting would distant her attachment, the delaying had nothing to do with recognizing what was best for her however, it issued from the new mess, bred by old grudge back in the time of his Father, that he currently entertained himself with. While the threat itself was laughable for its feeble attempts at vengeance, it did serve a purpose in keeping his mind off thoughts he'd rather not diving in too deep, for now, or until that priestess was about to be out of the picture. As things currently merited his multi-purposes, Sesshoumaru allowed their happenings. That did not mean he had turned a blind eye on Inuyasha's lie. Technically Inuyasha didn't lie to him. But the half-demon, who recently plagued his mind a little bit stronger than before, didn't tell the truth either.

"If you have done what you need to do here, you can go." Sesshoumaru smoothly dismissed his half-sibling without sparing the subject of his musing a fleeting glance. That might be best for Inuyasha and himself the longer time crawled forward with neither making any move to leave. Because Sesshoumaru was more than tempted to test out his newly developed instinct; the one involved pinning Inuyasha into any random nearby inanimate object, helpless and still refused to submit to him.

Sesshoumaru had spent his life uninterrupted by carnal desire until this point, and he needed more time to dwell on the _whys_ and _how-comes_ this was happening now with Inuyasha centered every reflection no matter where he looked. It would be entirely pathetic to stoop so low at mere basic level of animalistic needs no matter how normal and natural it was. And had the truth ever been pathetically so, Sesshoumaru was certain he could face neither his Father nor Mother at the entailing shame. He was educated to be better than that just as he knew he was more than that, and with a tremendous conviction he deemed Inuyasha far worthy to deserve finer than that. Sesshoumaru was unarmed against the assaults of these new feelings and compulsions blossomed beyond his conscious, therefore his only defense was the normalcy of their relationship. Even flowing back to the familiar exchanging of words was greatly distasteful and angered him to the point his vision flared red in responding to his inner conflicts. He used to brush Inuyasha off in more than one occasions and felt little about it. Now, if the half-demon didn't know what best for _himself_ and loitering around any longer, Sesshoumaru might lose it, and lose it happily he would, without any string of remorse ever after. Because no one ever regretted possessing something or in his case, _someone_ , already born belonged to him.

The calmness in which Sesshoumaru took the news unsettled Inuyasha to a point. He himself had two entire centuries of experiencing his demon sibling's cold shoulder first-hand. But the difference was he craved the affection Sesshoumaru had never given him, whereas Rin basked in it up until now to be seemingly ignored in a less hateful manner. Upsetting on the girl's behalf in echo of his own acidic past made Inuyasha raise his voice, looked pass Sesshoumaru's obvious reason of doing so, thundered at the back of that silver crown his long buried piece of mind, inwardly beseeched a reconsidering for the girl's sake more than his own even it torn at his heart to know Sesshoumaru would do everything to ensure happiness of a stranger, while the chance to have it for himself was pitifully zero. Inuyasha jerked his chin with a sneer, "It would degrade your royal highness to let the world know he cares for a human girl, wouldn't it? After all there is no secret about his hatred toward human and no love written in his name." His sudden movement jolted the thing around his neck, which he caught immediately out of reflex to keep its noise down. The Beads of Subjugation.

_"She said the word would be 'beloved' and smiled. I immediately knew it was her way to confess her feeling for you because she had never smiled so gently like that for as long as I was with my sister." Kaede told him. "She had never meant to control you."_

Averted his eyes toward the shadowed moon, Inuyasha could still see a sliver of its round shape deep in bottomless veil of heaven abyss. Tomorrow would be the day of new moon, tomorrow he would become a human. Kikyo had unknowingly inspired a longing in him, stemmed from her suggestion that he wished upon the Jewel of Four Souls to become a human, freeing her off the duty as a priestess and together, they would live a normal life afterward. Inuyasha had been willing to choose the possibility of leading a new life with someone who loved him, it sounded brighter than anything else he had planned for himself. Because Kikyo would walk by his side until the end, he believed she would, if only Naraku had never found pleasure in separating them. Because there was no warrant Sesshoumaru would accept him even if he became a demon. Plus, Kikyo gave him what he was denied by Sesshoumaru. His fingers unconsciously twisted two beads around themselves, as masochistic as his thought might indicate, carrying Kikyo's memento gave him an odd reassurance to know he belonged somewhere, to someone. As of now, he wondered what his life would have been if he was a human. Would the demon before him ever let him have a taste of what Rin had blissfully been through? Would he ever want it at all, knowing in the end it wouldn't last and left a big hollow in its wake impossible to fill by anyone else after?

Sesshoumaru had turned sharply to glare over his shoulder at Inuyasha's smarting words and almost fell back into the habit of hurling selectively hurtful words at the younger but catching himself at the last second, witnessed Inuyasha's glazed eyes seeing something beyond his own comprehension. Thankfully he didn't have to snap Inuyasha out of it because those same yet different eyes refocused on him. In their golden depth, flicker of something he felt he should recognize but having no memory or knowledge to identify what it could have been, before hardening immediately without hint of what ran in their owner's mind. This aggravated Sesshoumaru more than he bothered to _not_ show. His eyes narrowed. Since when Inuyasha ever learnt to keep things from him. Since when he thought he could get away with it.

"Are you speaking for your jealousy, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru taunted with a curl of his lips, forming the cruelest smirk his character ever used when involving the utmost alchemistic creature composed by his dearly sire and a human princess, the mortal lover of said sire. This one unmistakable emotion from personal familiarity he realized with ease among the mix running rampart in that instant their eyes locked before it could hide. _Jealousy_ , a double-edges weapon, one required the best maneuver so as not to be fallen victim under its own lethal blade. Sesshoumaru tilted his head, strategically let his long fringe shadowed his eyes, "That Rin, someone related to me _not_ , someone belongs to what I detest most, has what you wholly desired to the darkest part of your lonely soul, what should have been yours by birthright?" Acidic. He was not unfamiliar with its vile content but for once, it left far worse aftertaste on the tip of his tongue. A different kind of poison compared to his trademark toxic but no less fatal.

Inuyasha stood rigid at every words hitting home. Sesshoumaru always knew what power he held over him, and the demon abused it unfailingly. Why? Why could Sesshoumaru matter so much to hurt him a new every time he almost done licking the old wounds? How could that kind of power was in his hands since the beginning? Why he could come up with no theory as to when he was stripped off his control to be all powerless against this ruthless demon of a brother? He wanted to turn around and run, to where he was safe away from Sesshoumaru. The greater part of himself forced him to stay, stand proud despite whatever Sesshoumaru had in store to break him further, and picked up the pieces to stand again. That had been the only way he knew of to deal with Sesshoumaru. Because the very moment he was completely broken, Sesshoumaru would acknowledge him no longer.

Time made Inuyasha realize affection was not the only thing mattered. If Sesshoumaru would only hurt him until the last day he drew breath, as long as they stayed in each other's life, Inuyasha was willing to embrace that fate. Because against his better judgement, he decided Sesshoumaru was worth it. There was no point regretting now that it was too late. He was involved whether he wanted this or not, as Sesshoumaru phrased it, _by birthright_. So, with a renewed determination intensified the vivid golden doorway to his soul, Inuyasha had a stronger grip in the eyes contact to look straight at his vicious brother's icy molten liquid gold orbs to say the two words steadily, _"I am."_

That had been a statement in the pretentious of a question. His insight was like heaven and earth apart compared to Inuyasha's admission, spoken clearly in the absent of dubiousness could only enforce its truest of truths in the utmost barest form. However the affection he showed toward Rin was nowhere close to the one he had been denying Inuyasha. With Rin it had strictly limited to caring for his property. Presumably being on the same level as Jaken and Ah-Un, Rin was in the gray area where one took great care of what was under one's protection. Sesshoumaru had absolutely no intention to cross that boundary, not back then, not now, not ever. Many times she had brilliantly served as an exposing weak point where all kinds of adversary would notice in plain sight than using their brains to even wonder _why_ _and_ _what_ _he was truly_ _hiding_. Naraku didn't live long enough to realize he had been manipulated into getting Sesshoumaru involved in his grand scheme against Inuyasha. Until recently it dawned to him that idea was no longer appealing. Now he wanted to keep Rin safe for real and there was no better place than returning the girl to her human companions where Rin originally belonged. Kaede was also who he silently approved of because she was among the collective few who didn't treat Inuyasha like the rest of the humans out there.

On contrary to Rin, Inuyasha was born without the safest sheltering. Sesshoumaru wanted nothing more than keeping Inuyasha close to his heart, inside the walls he had built up over centuries to protect himself from something could cost him his own life and Inuyasha, which was impractical in all aspects. The more Inuyasha was found associate with him, the greater threats would endanger the life of his younger half. What would his and _their_ Father's enemies do with this little information about the treasure he had been carefully shielding from the world in these past two centuries to sharpen it, nurture it, perfect it into his own pride today? Even now that Sesshoumaru acknowledged Inuyasha was more than ready to face off every challenge about to come up, he found himself unwilling to leave Inuyasha on his own device. Even when he knew Inuyasha was no longer in need of his protection the same way Rin needed him, he would still pronounce it in form of a life-long vow, one he wholeheartedly intended to keep. That he wouldn't allow Inuyasha to fall by the hand of any but himself, that he wouldn't let any claim Inuyasha's life but himself.

But.

Those two accursed priestesses had to lay domination on his pride one after another. Now, Inuyasha cherished that _collar_ like a sacred trinket than what it really was. One day, _one day_ , he fully planned to enjoy the pleasure in ripping it off and indulged himself in watching what kind of expression would be on her face then. It was his grave mistake to stir Inuyasha's innermost secret. Because Jealousy was a double-edges weapon. It had embraced him way before he knew what happened. What happened, was now that he had Inuyasha's wrist tightly in his grip, that same hand had been caressing the hateful abomination in longing wistfulness that should not be presented in front of his eyes.

One moment his hand was toying with a random bead, the next that innocent appendage was captured by Sesshoumaru. The several steps distance between them was demonically reduced to nothing when he was flattened against Sesshoumaru. For the first time Inuyasha noticed the absent of a certain armor piece used to glue with Sesshoumaru wherever his brother was, but that was pale in comparison with the urgency in demanding reason for this kind of treatment. Question already rushed to the tip of his tongue only to dissolve in form of a nervous swallow at their current proximity because he could feel his brother's breathing on his skin, literally.

"Let me rephrase my question into something even you can understand." Sesshoumaru lowered his tone, whispered inaudibly against Inuyasha's ears, icy golden eyes narrowed in satisfaction from feeling shivers ran along the length of Inuyasha's spine where his other hand, not busy holding a certain paralyzed wrist, pulled Inuyasha impossibly closer to him by the small of his back. He angled his head slightly so his gaze once again met Inuyasha's, observing, calculating, _smirking_. "Why are you _still_ here, Inuyasha?" Because this proved more than enough of why he didn't have to wait until Inuyasha outlived that priestess. The wild emotions in those wide eyes was like a screaming declaration of his victory.

Sesshoumaru had no need to recall it anymore, for he had seen and loathed it so long, long enough to forget all together the look in his Father's eyes whenever the name of Izayoi escaped his lips. Those same emotions his Father had never given his Mother, or he might have been too ignorance about their bond to bother looking into it as he should if he was going to doubt what it was between his parents. Especially now, when everything was too late that his eyes opened to a fact his Sire cherished him, the materialization of their Hallowed Unification, to the point of accepting Izayoi in his heart despite fully knowing the outcome of his transgression, so that he could give Sesshoumaru first and foremost, _Inuyasha_ , while leading him to Bakusaiga all these years. Their Father had listened to him in those last moments of his life when Sesshoumaru told his wish to conquer and his desire for power, and realized neither his lands nor Tessaiga and Soun'ga were fitted for his prideful heir. It had taken so long for the aforementioned heir to partly understand his late Sire now that a different kind of power was in his possession, one held in itself more meaning than what he once lusted after.

Sesshoumaru wanted confirmation, as strong if not more than that previous revelation. He selfishly wanted to hear it was himself Inuyasha's heart had chosen over the reincarnation of his former love interest. There was nothing but time about to split Inuyasha and Kagome now. Inuyasha could choose to be with Kagome who had abandoned her time and family for him, to continue his previously disrupted fantasy when Kikyo was still alive with one condition less. Becoming a human had been a crucial requirement for Inuyasha to live with Kikyo so that she too, would become a normal woman. That collar Kikyo left behind had been loud, loud enough to announce her distrustful of Inuyasha's demonic blood. However it was of no significant since the appearance of Kagome for she accepted Inuyasha almost wholly, human _and_ half-demon. That had been the reason his lips hovered over Inuyasha's, their noses brushed, foreheads pressed insistently together and breaths mingled from the proximity in an imitation of what could have happened now.

The gesture had been one last proof to lure Inuyasha into believing this was not another successful plot to send him spiraling toward his own spiritual demise. Why he was forced to wait so long for this moment only once again got denied because this was his brother's way to wordlessly refuse throwing him in the position of a traitorous lover. They had come so close… "Are you…" Inuyasha whispered brokenly then stopped himself, not the right words he was looking for. "Do we…" Words tumbled from his quivering mouth hopelessly, causing fleeting touches on their slightly part lips that only enforced their desperate needs for more. His head shook weakly, unwilling to break any direct contact they had established only moments ago yet. "… about us…" He gave up speaking and closed his eyes with a frustrated sigh, gripping the front of Sesshoumaru's kimono with his free hand like doing so could will his brother to hear what he wanted to say. Only Sesshoumaru breathed against his lips, "We are nothing." The statement sprang his eyes open in bewilderment and disbelief. "There is no _us_." His vision started blurring in denial.

In reality, that was true. Even with their feelings disclosing toward each other, it could only be addressed so far. Besides Kagome, there were also those who had become too important to his younger sibling, their opinion mattered a great deal to Inuyasha, his recently acquired significant other and soon-to-be partner. Sesshoumaru was far from ignorant about human society to know their relationship was just a mere forbidden love affair in mortal eyes. He knew Inuyasha was strong enough to live through the worst scenario but Sesshoumaru would be damned if he let his beloved went through it alone. However even with him by his brother's side, there was still chance that odds against them, that he couldn't help easing the pain much. He of all would know how hard it was to let go of attachment.

Too wounded for his mind to work properly, Inuyasha struggled to free himself from Sesshoumaru's poisonous embrace. This was too much. He was simply not strong enough to protect himself against this kind of savagery. Why did Sesshoumaru have to go this far to destroy him? Why did he even fall for this? Why was he mourning for the loss of it already? And why Sesshoumaru didn't let him go, he would die slowly now, there was no need to suffocate him. "Let me _go_!" He pleaded as the first teardrop made its way down his cheek, banged his fist helplessly against Sesshoumaru's solid chest.

Sesshoumaru did let Inuyasha's hand go. The instant it happened, his demonic prowess kicked in, he forced Inuyasha harshly backward against the nearest ancient tree. The impact caused a brief disorientation but more than enough for Sesshoumaru to squeeze his hysterical other half between the tree and himself, his free hands slammed menacingly against the trunk on either sides of Inuyasha's head. When he was certain Inuyasha looked at him, nearer to become his normal defiant self and was about to renew another pointless rebel, he growled warningly, _"Be quiet."_

Only Inuyasha was anything but obedient and Sesshoumaru didn't give his sibling any chance to oppose him by holding Inuyasha's face with both hands to make sure the fool looked at him and only him before he confessed something Inuyasha alone was entitled to hear. "I gave you many chances to go, but you have stayed. Let us not misunderstand that I granted you permission to go _whenever you please_ , because I didn't, I don't and I never will." Sesshoumaru hissed, his eyes flashed red before narrowing, more in restraining his inner violent tendency than attempting further intimidated the subject of his raw affection. A flick of his thumbs sent the fallen tears to the ground, uncaring of where they went as long they never returned to where they came from. "In your limit language, know that you are forever bound to me. If crying in front of me and being pitiful now were your final effort in begging me to reverse what had happened, I have to inform that you need to try harder."

"But you said…" Inuyasha trailed off, eyes dilated in realization, being rendered speechless at his own stupidity and Sesshoumaru's fancy way of making things sounded too wrong to be decrypted. If his brother had always called him a fool, why could he not just say something even a fool would understand in the first place?!

Glowering darkly at his dramatic sibling some more, Sesshoumaru stepped back to give Inuyasha much needed personal space. Despite the physical distance, his gaze was still pinning Inuyasha where he stood and the younger looked breathless all the same. The sight almost compelled him to draw Inuyasha back in his arms, but he didn't. "Come here, Inuyasha." He beckoned, preferred Inuyasha going to him on his own.

Hesitantly, in reserve more than prudence, Inuyasha complied with red tinted cheeks, his eyes dared not to look at anything else but his sibling. Heart thundered against his ribcages, Inuyasha braced his hands on Sesshoumaru's chest and stood on tip toes, applied moisture on his lips and flicked his tongue along the outer shell of an elven ear. Unable to tell whose heartbeats were quicker but loving those sharp hitches in the uneven breathing pattern of his elder, Inuyasha repeated his action again and again. Until Sesshoumaru snaked one hand around his back, other laced in his hair to guide his head under his brother's chin and held him motionlessly this way for a while. Inuyasha thought he was going to drowse in the sensation, but right then, an unexpected moan was ripped from him when Sesshoumaru returned the favor in full with interest. A soft kiss at the base went first then long lick traced the outline of his triangle shape puppy ear. Inuyasha fruitlessly tried turning his head to escape the pleasure sensation but Sesshoumaru nipped the tip of his ear and tugged it lightly with his fangs, released the appendage shortly after to soothe that tender spot between his lips and tongue. _"Sesshoumaru…!"_ The younger one cried out in raising arousal and leaned more into his elder, unconsciously exposing his neck in silent offering, hands gripped loosely at the outer material of the demon's attire.

The sound of his name passed those lips, more than pure sin, had come very close to his own undoing. In Sesshoumaru's lust hazed mind, cautions were almost annihilated, his mouth had already made its way down Inuyasha's exposing throat, his tongue tasting flesh, and his fangs pressed dangerously over the wild pulse in preparing to pierce skin, hairbreadth away from marking Inuyasha his for eternity. _Initiated the Hallowed Unification_. Sesshoumaru tensed at hearing the final warning bell went off from the very last of his intellectual remnant and even it was also tethering on the verge of insanity. The demon reeled back, fighting the urge to pull Inuyasha with him. With one finger curled under his younger's chin, Sesshoumaru lifted the glazed face. His baby sibling, eyes unseeing, had yet come to his sense but the forced separation helped his lungs worked steadier and his heart didn't seem to pound against him as much. Like a dream walker Inuyasha protested against their disengagement, incoherent distress voice calling Sesshoumaru's name dribbled from his untouched lips. He made an adoringly bittersweet sight, more like being triggered from centuries of yearning and loving a certain someone unrequitedly than the loss of physical contact.

"Inuyasha." His heart felt heavy from seeing through naked eyes what he had done to the owner of that name, heavier than his ancient tutelage of regretting nothing even if some doings were deadly wrong. Sesshoumaru caressed the flushing cheek with the back of his claws and murmured against Inuyasha's forehead, _"My Precious, I'm sorry."_

The fog clouding his mind cleared at his brother's voice, Inuyasha exhaled shakily and closed his eyes, savoring the genuine apology with his entire being. At last he laid his head on Sesshoumaru's shoulder, fisting the fabric covered his brother's back, relaxed further when Sesshoumaru places his arms around him, chin propped a top his head between his lax puppy ears. The silence didn't go on for long. Inuyasha nudged his ears slightly along the strong jawline, wordlessly requested Sesshoumaru's attention. The demon straightened up and put a hand on Inuyasha's cheek to tilt his head up so their eyes locked in his quiet way of encouraging Inuyasha to continue. "Why did you stop?" Inuyasha whispered inaudibly as if he was in fear of the question, and perhaps he was.

Sesshoumaru heard the question but he didn't reply right away even when he had his answer. Their emotions proceeded too fast, and almost went too far, and now resulted in making his sibling feel restless. To make matter worse, one of his most dangerous demonic instincts had awaken and shrouded them within his aura, almost persuaded him to claim Inuyasha while trapping the latter within the veil of his seduction. It was something bound to happen as time drew nearer the closer they became. It was also welcoming but Sesshoumaru could not let it happen now. His thumb teased the corner of Inuyasha's mouth then trailed the outline of his lower lip, squashing the urge to invade this alluring cavern.

The sensual quality in that gesture alleviated Inuyasha's anxiety somewhat, but he held his breath in mild trepidation, waiting for what Sesshoumaru was going to say.

"There is silent agreement between you and that priestess, is it not?" Needed not of confirmation for his rhetorical inquiry, Sesshoumaru replaced his thumb with his forefinger in the center of Inuyasha's upper lip. "I will not shame you with my reckless actions until there is closure for your relationship with her." He didn't straight out forcing Inuyasha to end things with Kagome, but he had made it clear as long as the human girl was in the picture, there would be nothing between himself and his brother.

That was really endearing of Sesshoumaru but Inuyasha dipped his head with a sheepish look, his cheeks colored for different reasons.

Perplexed at the reaction, Sesshoumaru could only move his hand to raise Inuyasha's face, but even then his younger avoided looking at him in the eyes. "Inuyasha?" He caressed the name to voice his confusion.

"Actually…" Inuyasha mumbled bashfully, still unable to look at his sibling.

"Yes?" Judging by Inuyasha's expression, this hardly related to their reformed interconnection. Then there was a fact they were talking about Inuyasha's companion. That still didn't give Sesshoumaru enough information to decipher the reason why his brother started fidgeting.

"… They… know…" Inuyasha forced the words out timidly, stealing glances at his brother, who just blinked twice, to gawk his response. And he almost squeaked in a good kind of terror from seeing Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes.

Sesshoumaru was trying his damnedest to not doing something unspeakable to Inuyasha at the moment. He heard him clearly. He knew how his brother was trying to lead him astray at the same time _not_ and most important, what was in the golden plate serving for him by that revelation. Only he didn't want to jump into conclusion all too soon and _just_ _maybe_ Inuyasha wasn't being cleared enough. So he stared at Inuyasha with a ferocity that gave his devious love-to-be a legit reason to shrink more into him for having nowhere left to hide. After a deep growl vibrated in his chest, Sesshoumaru took hold of Inuyasha's chin with his thumb and index-finger to be certain he wouldn't miss a single syllable of truth Inuyasha had to answer him. "Who are _they_?" He emphasized slowly the last word, pinning Inuyasha in place by the look in his eyes.

Inuyasha swallowed his apprehension at seeing many promises behind that one question and for the first time he was truly afraid of what his brother would unfailingly do to him with a great deal of anticipation. The longer those predacious eyes bore holes into him, the harder it was to start counting names he could barely remember anymore. With his fragile little heart threatening to break free from its confinement at any second, Inuyasha opened his mouth but no word was there to come out.

 _"Who are they?"_ Sesshoumaru stressed again, slowly but steadily cornering Inuyasha back to the same tree had fallen victim to their earlier climatic exchange and fated to witness the beginning of another.

Once again flattened between a tree and his regal carnivorous of a sibling, only the current reestablished position carried in itself unlimited fierceness exploded after two centuries long of suppressed raw passion on Sesshoumaru's part, short gasps escaped his mouth in poor attempt at breathing, Inuyasha lowered his lids, starting to feel the familiar pheromone intoxicated him earlier. This time there would be nothing holding Sesshoumaru back, or it was just him begging his brother wouldn't hold back. _"Rin…"_ Inuyasha murmured against Sesshoumaru's nearing lips, catching a brief soften emotion came and went in his brother's eyes. He knew only the girl's thought mattered to his brother. "Before _she_ and Kaede sent me here, she said as long as we are both happy, that's what truly matters." And her opinion was... "Same with Miroku… Sango… Shippo… Kirara… Kohaku…" Inuyasha cracked a smile at Sesshoumaru thinning patient resulted in his wrists being held captive on either side of his head. "Ka— _ede_ …" Inuyasha breathed, Sesshoumaru pressed his forehead against him, rubbing their noses together, lips slightly part. "She was the hardest part but eventually Kagome couldn't win against your little Rin's mindscape and relented. But I couldn't give her any answer because I don't know what I am to you, yet. So Kagome is still waiting for me, waiting to make you see what you are going to mis— _mmph!_ "

Inuyasha didn't know how long he hadn't breathed, but he was aware there was no place in his mouth untouched by Sesshoumaru's tongue. As if to punish him, Sesshoumaru ravished him until he had to use his remaining strength to push his brother away to refill his lungs. But Sesshoumaru only allowed him a gulp of air and he was on him again, not before growling three little words, _"You imbecile brat!"_

* * *

It was dawn of the next day.

Inuyasha was asleep, cushioning his head on his brother's lap. They had talked until early morning instead of exploring each other on more physical level. While the kisses here and there left them hungrier for each other, that was as far as Sesshoumaru allowed while they were out in the open. To rile his far from modest sibling, who once half-undressed himself in the midst of Saimyoshos _and_ Jaken, Inuyasha smartly pointed out his monk friend grasped any round bottom in sight. Sesshoumaru corrected he only lowered his attire enough to inspect the fake human arm enhanced with a Jewel Fragment, courtesy of Naraku, then told his younger haughtily that he was a demon, not a monk. Before Inuyasha could retort no monk did what Miroku did, he was silenced with another face sucking session and hell, what was there to complain? And he was meant to complain about what?

Sesshoumaru had planned to go settling his score with their Father's weak enemies this day and he refused Inuyasha's offer to come along, reminded his sibling it was the day of new moon. So to placate his sulking brother, the demon didn't mind indulge in another kiss with the absent of their stronger passion, it was chaste with promises in the air.

"You will be fine, right?" Inuyasha asked with a hint of trepidation, searching his brother's eyes to know if his opponents were anything to worry about. He knew Sesshoumaru was strong but the insecurity from time and again experienced happiness only to be ripped off of it before he knew what happened had planted seed of fear so deep in his heart.

Understanding where that question came from warmed his heart. Sesshoumaru bestowed Inuyasha a rare curl of his lips, one he did in secrecy and not even Rin had the chance to witness. The smile softened Sesshoumaru's expression to the point of denying the meaning of his namesake and scrapped his destructive capacity into nothingness. It lulled Inuyasha in a disbelieving trance, voluntarily to be trapped in that moment forever. It was gone as soon as it came but Sesshoumaru used the aftereffect to his advantage. He drew the unsuspecting Inuyasha back in his arms to plant a kiss on his forehead and purred in the nearest puppy ear, "Wait for me in the village. There is someone I'd like you to meet the next time I come for you."

Weak in the knees but trying his best to be brave for their upcoming short separation, Inuyasha tilted his head to look at his Sesshoumaru with mounting curiosity. "There is someone else more important than Rin?"

"You." Sesshoumaru answered without the need to think, his face solemn but there was twinkle of amusement in his normally cold eyes.

"Um…" Inuyasha bit his bottom lip to stop the heat crawled up his cheeks, the whole effort proved to be in vain.

"I would prefer you to meet her as soon as possible, but you will turn human tonight." Sesshoumaru frowned in disdain more at the _her_ in question than the fact about Inuyasha's new moon secret. "I don't want to know what she is going to say after I tell her _"I do"_ when she _will_ ask if I plan to eat you."

"E—at… _eat me?!_ " Inuyasha squeaked, turning redder, any more than that would put his fire rat robe to shame!

"I am no monk, My Precious." Sesshoumaru on his part, was loving every moment of this. "I have been starved for two centuries. Would you so heartlessly leave me ravenous for you more than I am as of now?"

"I…! Uh…!" Stuttering at the strangest wording he had ever heard from the stoic owner of his heart, Inuyasha ducked his head and shook madly to clear his scattered mind. "You are messing with my… my…!" He exclaimed indignantly then trailed off, unable to finish his sentence and covered his eyes with his hands to let out a strangle noise from the back of his throat in frustration at his sibling.

"I am not." Sesshoumaru told him, all playfulness dissipated as if there was none in the first place. "I have your heart. In the nearest day possible I want the rest of you become mine, all mine to cherish and more until the end of my time." Sesshoumaru paused to let his words sink in, he pried Inuyasha's hands away to hold the flushing cheeks with his before continuing, "Will you, Inuyasha?"

It took half a moment for Inuyasha to comprehend what was asking of him. When he did, his heart beat so fast, his pulse ran too wild, knots tangled into a tight mass in his throat and he forgot how to breathe. Every fiber of his being heard the same question asking again and again until his vision blurred for the second time in less than a day time. It only took a blink for all his tears to break free, but that was unimportant. He threw his arms around Sesshoumaru's neck, face buried under his brother's chin, mouthing repeatedly one word mattered most to the both of them. _"Yes!" Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!_

One hand clawed at Inuyasha's back, the other dug in his silver mane, Sesshoumaru returned the embrace just as fiercely, willing Inuyasha to melt into him and become one entity with him right here, right now. He pressed his lips against the side of the younger's head, the nearest part of Inuyasha he could access to muffle his own mantra of one name, its owner was the crying mess in his arms, someone he forever refused to let go.

* * *

Sesshoumaru detested the look on their faces, especially when they all died laughing at him mockingly as if telling of secrets they knew and he didn't. He swung Bakusaiga again, making certain their faces were to be split in half. They angered him beyond comprehension and forced his mind into the state of foreboding restless. He wanted nothing more than getting this over and done with however, they came more as soon as one group was cut down.

He had enough of them.

Sesshoumaru leaped in the air, gathering demonic aura around him and shredded his humanoid appearance to emerge in his ancient glory form of the majestic white dog demon that he truly was. He wouldn't give the adversaries time to look at him in mixture of awe and fear and hatred and fury, they were to be bathed in his poison pool the moment one of his front paw touched ground.

It was then Sesshoumaru realized his missing target. So the fool had escaped by sacrificing his castle and followers? That dishonored sorry excuse of a _daiyoukai_. Sesshoumaru had half a mind to turn and leave the rest to his followers, but he stopped at hearing the more insistent warning bell inside his head, enhanced by the greater demonic power he received in this form. He looked around, focused at every fallen enemy to read into their hidden mockery. The longer he stared at their face the louder that noise deafening his mind, until he located its source.

_Tenseiga._

Tenseiga was screaming. What was the meaning of this?

"Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Sesshoumaru jerked his head in the direction his name came from. _Myoga?_

Myoga latched onto the fur of his long ear in hysteria. "Sesshoumaru-sama! My Lord, please come back immediately!"

The flea demon hadn't been with him. He always steered clear of danger. Why was Myoga here? He had always been with…

 _Tenseiga was screaming_. And Myoga's appearance.

 _"What happened to Inuyasha?"_ Sesshoumaru demanded in a dangerous tone, already soared through the sky toward the village he had sent his heart back in silent wishing for his brother to be safe.

Myoga gushed in one breath. "Demons attacked yesterday, my Lord! Inuyasha-sama had been fighting them but he turned into human—!"

 _"Be silent!"_ The dog demon snarled. He needed to hear no more. _What have I done!_ Sesshoumaru berated himself. He should have known better. His Inuyasha was no longer running away at danger now. His Inuyasha had more than himself to protect now. His Inuyasha was no longer safe in that village _now_! He should have brought his Inuyasha with him. He shouldn't have let his Inuyasha out of his sight, even for one second was unforgivable!

Sesshoumaru only saw red. A ruthless roar tore from his throat, vowing death upon everything responsible for all harms on Inuyasha. _His Inuyasha!_

_._

_._

_._

_"The Hallowed Unification?" Inuyasha echoed, scrunching his nose in confusion._

_"It is forbidden between siblings and dominant partners to perform the Hallowed Unification. Somewhat like human marriage."_

_Inuyasha scrutinized him closely, and stole a quick kiss. "You don't look like it gives you any problem."_

_"Indeed." He lifted his chin haughtily, "Do you know what it means to be Royalty?"_

_"What?"_

_He grinned ferally, "We don't follow rules because they never apply to us. And what most interesting is,_ we make them _."_

* * *

 _O benefit of ill, now I find true_  
That better is by evil still made better;  
And ruined love when it is built anew  
Grows fairer than at first, more strong, far greater.  
So I return rebuked to my content,  
And gain by ills thrice more than I have spent.  


_— Sonnet 119, Shakespeare_


	2. Lust (for Life)

_That you were once unkind befriends me now,_  
_And for that sorrow which I then did feel_  
_Needs must I under my transgression bow,_  
_Unless my nerves were brass or hammered steel._  
_For if you were by my unkindness shaken,_  
_As I by yours, you've passed a hell of time,_  
_And I, a tyrant, have no leisure taken_  
_To weigh how once I suffered in your crime._  
_— Sonnet 120, Shakespeare_

* * *

"Myoga." Her melodious voice granted entry to the waiting vassal outside the Forbidden Chamber of her Palace.

The Flea demon hopped inside, stopped several feet behind her, dared not to look up at the sole mate of his late Lord. "Milady." She moved her hand downward, palm up, silently ordering him where to situate himself. Myoga obeyed after a nervous swallow. He jumped high to perch on the pad of her forefinger, still kept his head down.

Sparing a brief glance at the meek servant, her gaze went back to the creature inside her life size demonic amniotic sac, the only purpose for this chamber. "This is the son of his and Izayoi, who our beloved Sesshoumaru has been raising all alone, _Inuyasha._ "

There was no quizzical in her statement however, Myoga dutifully confirmed, "Yes, Milady."

"Tell me, Myoga." She raised her hand with Myoga toward the pulsing sac before her eyes. "Why is he looking more human than what he truly is?"

Myoga only dared to look in the direction she permitted, he gasped audibly at the sight of long pit black hair almost covered a figure suspending in the center. True to her words, this Inuyasha curling around himself inside her transparent sac, chin touched his chest, face hid behind his folded knees, hands laxly crossed over his ankles, appeared as though he was sleeping… was no more than a human. "H—How?!" He stuttered. "This… this c—couldn't be…!"

"This body had completely absorbed all his blood you brought to me." She ignored his reaction and continued voicing her own confusion. "Still it is undergoing no change and…"

Hearing a flutter of fabric, Myoga chanced a look behind his shoulder. He saw the Lady placed her other hand on the Meidou Stone, golden eyes remained on Inuyasha's motionless form but narrowed in the slightest sign of her impatience, "… I can feel his soul _nowhere_."

"But I had witnessed with my own eyes Sesshoumaru-sama put his claws through him…" Myoga squeaked in fear. He almost forgot what he was going to say next the instant her eyes glared down at him sharply, her look demanded a continuation of his story than his silence. "M—My Lord ordered I sucked him dry of his untainted blood while his own poison fought for control over the former one by the time he came for Inuyasha-sama, Milady!"

"This child," She hissed, it was unknown to Myoga the rising anger in her tone was toward his young charge or what else, "Can't survive Sesshoumaru's poison if he had already been damaged by another in his system."

Myoga had prepared to die the moment he was back in the village with Lord Sesshoumaru, watching hopelessly what Inuyasha had become during his absence. He had not only left his young Lord's side when he was in danger, he also failed him on many more levels than his old life was worth. But… he couldn't afford to let Inuyasha's only hope of living that Lord Sesshoumaru had entrusted him be in vain. What could he do?!

"Have you not heard my question clear, Myoga?"

Her voice didn't raise any higher than usual, but to Myoga it struck like thunder force. He kowtowed miserably, his shoulders shook in fear, heart wretched on the inside in despair for his ward. Myoga could not come up with any explanation as to why Sesshoumaru had sent him to her, who had it in her the power to crush what it could be that her own son was hoping to achieve when the Lord permitted him to enter her Palace on his most trust Ah-Un, well-protected by the lives of Kohaku, Jaken and Kirara on Sesshoumaru's order until he was safely arrived with stomach filled with Inuyasha's pure blood.

"Milady, I…" Myoga went silent again. He couldn't tell her.

"Don't make me waste Sesshoumaru's effort in sending you here, pitiful fool." She brought him to level with her eyes, stared him down, intimidating him further.

"Milady… Please I…" He swallowed hard. He couldn't… tell… her…

Smoldering liquid gold orbs narrowed into slits at his tight mouth, still she gave him no more last warning. His loyalty to Inuyasha had been well proven that she saw it good enough to spare his life. "You would hope Sesshoumaru knows what he is doing, bearing the Sacred Mark all by himself." Lips curled into a smirk eerily crueler than her son's, whom hers had genetically passed down, she turned her attention back to Inuyasha, left Myoga free-falling to the cold floor from her finger, unconscious from his own fear.

"You are his son, down to how you choose to die for your love one, Sesshoumaru." She caressed the sac gently, "Come back to this world again soon, our dearest little one."

* * *

The perpetual noises in his head stopped abruptly as the last fragment faded away, memory fragments of Sesshoumaru about _him_. Inuyasha blinked slowly at the familiar landscape of his forest before his eyes. He was very likely lying under the shade of Goshinboku Tree. The last thing he remembered was… Sango's broken voice incoherently between crying out his name and pleaded mercy for his life while the eerily smiling pupil-less, black sclera eyes Kagome holding the stolen slayer sword pointing at her neck and pain still the only thing he tasted, Miroku restraining him with the shakujou over his front like the first time Tessaiga broken resulting his fail in fighting against his Sire's demonic blood, him growling at Kohaku to bring Rin and Kaede to the cave behind the village with whatever hapless living humans out there before he completely lost it, and then Kagome… pierced herself with a purification arrow, some black substance came out of her mouth instead of her own blood, winning back the control of her body and released Sango before collapsing, there she lay motionless on the dirty ground but still breathing, albeit it got fainter.

Inuyasha closed his eyes at the surfacing memories before the first fleck of dawn lit the horizon. His human body had been soaking in miasma because the adversaries didn't want to risk him doing any more damage to them than he had done even when he lost his demonic power, he took pleasure in smelling their reeking fear of him in the air no matter how it strongly filled with the scent of his own blood from the wounds everywhere in and on his person. He could still hear his bones got broken one after another. It had started with his left knee. Then he tried reaching out for Tessaiga lying on the ground, only to realize the impossible because his right forearm dangling at odd angle and refused to do what it was supposed to, the same happened to his left arm next. Tessaiga was still screeching very loudly as if calling something… or it might have been his hallucination, or it had been him who was screaming. Too much pain.

The only thing in his mind was… he couldn't leave this village. Because Sesshoumaru said he would come for him.

Inuyasha turned his head up to gaze at his brother's sleeping face. Was Sesshoumaru really sleeping? _Sesshoumaru…_ He raised a trembling hand to touch the pale cheek that had turned a paler shade of porcelain than usual. Was he cold? The last time he was with Sesshoumaru, his brother kept him warm by holding him like this the entire night. Inuyasha breathed out shakily through chapped lips, mouth moving to form his sibling's name but no sound came out… he tried again, a little harder… still his voice was a deafening mute.

As if Sesshoumaru heard him, one of his brow twitched. And nothing.

Encouraged, Inuyasha attempted another try but he stopped himself when catching something from the corner of his eyes. Golden gaze trailed along the angry blood veins like tree roots spreading out from somewhere under his brother's neckline. The younger one lowered his hand, inching closer to the strange occurrence. Only to be halted before he could touch it by Sesshoumaru seizing his wrist.

Right then, a strong pulse surged from something behind his back.

Inuyasha looked over his shoulder, his eyes dilated at seeing Tenseiga glowing steadily in his brother's other hand. He also noticed Mokomoko curling around them like an addition protective arm as if Sesshoumaru was fighting something only his eyes could see, to keep them at bay. Inuyasha looked back to Sesshoumaru in time the older golden eyes opened to stare at him blankly. His hand was released so Sesshoumaru could angle his head and pressed their mouths together. His body was like a dead weight, Inuyasha realized, when he attempted to drag himself up to deepen their kiss. Because he needed this to reassure himself Sesshoumaru was not going to abandon him for losing to another demon beside his brother, for breaking their unspoken vow to only die by each other's hand.

Only he didn't understand how he was still alive but dead at the same time.

Inuyasha pulled back to voice his confusion but again, as if reading his thought, Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and shook his head once instead of saying no.

"Ses… sho… u… ma… ru…" Inuyasha croaked. His throat protested strongly as if thousand needles prickled his vocal cord with each syllable being forced out.

His brother kissed his forehead, then bumped their noses. "Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru said his name for the first time since he woke up in his arms. "Sleep. Inuyasha."

Sesshoumaru didn't order him. He had sounded like an older brother who tried coaxing his restless sibling to be a good baby. And like a good baby, Inuyasha closed his eyes obediently with a soft smile, cushioned his head on the part of Mokomoko wrapped around Sesshoumaru's shoulder. "Yes… _Ani… ue_." He slurred faintly, surrendered to oblivion, allow it to bring him farther from the real world knowing he was safe, especially knowing Sesshoumaru had always been protecting him from the shadow since the day he was born if those foreign memory fragments he had seen were not another episode of his wistful delusion. But right now, he was not afraid of the dark anymore.

If Inuyasha had tried staying up a little longer, he could have witnessed Sesshoumaru's eyes widen. Because, perhaps Inuyasha didn't realize in his delirious state that he had truly called Sesshoumaru _big brother_. Sesshoumaru held Inuyasha tighter, molten liquid gold flashed crimson at the new group of hellish imps gathering around them, waiting to take Inuyasha from him.

Tenseiga pulsed again, one more time reduced each and every of the netherworld beings to nothing.

"I will not let you die, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru pledged, leaned down to press his mouth atop the slumbering puppy-ears head before his eyes closed again.

* * *

"You brought him _dead rats_?!" Inuyasha shook from repressing his cackle, burying his face in his sibling's neck to hide how much it pained his entire body only to laugh. There was no change in their positions from the last time he was awake, and that was three days ago. He was told it had been over a week since the night of new moon.

Rin pouted, flushing in embarrassment. "I didn't know what Sesshoumaru-sama eats because he never ate anything I brought for him. And it was not good when he got injured like that!"

"Come to think of it… I've never seen him eat anything." Inuyasha blinked up at his silent brother curiously, expectantly. "Even _you_ do have something you like to eat, yeah?"

Eyes went wide, Rin raised a hand to cover her audible gasp from watching her Lord bent his head a little to hush in Inuyasha-sama's twitching ear. She flushed for another reason when a blushed crept up the younger Lord's face from hearing the soft whispering words.

Sesshoumaru leaned back to rest his cheek on Mokomoko again and stared at their expressions in boredom, he grunted satisfactorily at his handy word, then drawled, "Now keep up with the silence, you two."

Rin covered her cheeks, which had become even redder. Unable to bear the embarrassment any longer, she stood abruptly and shot back to the village as if ghosts at her tail, squealing like an unfortunate (or fortunate depended on how one viewed it) child just walked in on her parents.

Inuyasha, upon realizing he had just lost his partner in crime (in annoying his brother), groaned in mortified, "Do you have to say it when she was around?!"

"Her mind is older than you give her body credit for." Was Sesshoumaru's pleasant reply. "Why do you think she ran away?"

"You are shameless. Totally shameless!" Inuyasha accused with strong conviction.

"You are wrong. I am simply expressing my fondness toward my most favorite edible material." Sesshoumaru deadpanned.

 _You_. As Sesshoumaru's voice rang in his mind over and over saying that one word, Inuyasha wanted to hit his head on any really hard object to murder the fussing butterflies in his tummy. He shoved his face in the fluffy Mokomoko and whined pitifully at his predicament, puppy ears flatted against his skull when Sesshoumaru leaned down to nuzzle one of them.

A heavy kind of silence descended.

"Say… How long do I have left…?" Inuyasha asked, sounding far more dead than he appeared moment ago.

Sesshoumaru never replied, only tightened his grip around Inuyasha and Tenseiga.

"Even if I am to die one more time… I will bring them down… with me…" Inuyasha promised.

The blood roots reached Sesshoumaru's jawline and stretched its miniature limps below his left cheek. Just right then his sight got blurry, white dots clouded his vision, his grip on Tenseiga unwantedly loosened due to the loss of life force he had been feeding Inuyasha's dead body to keep it existing, for Inuyasha to continue living,

The hell imps attacked.

His lids fell against his will to stay alert and before he knew it, he was back in his 200 years younger self, stood facing the back of his dying Sire on that fateful snowy night at the ocean edge.

 _"Why are you seeking for power?"_ His Sire demanded. Strangely Sesshoumaru found himself in control to remain silent instead of telling his Father about his wish to conquer and for that ambition, Tessaiga and Soun'ga were required as he remembered doing so.

 _"Have you anything to protect?"_ His Sire went on without waiting for his reply, there was a disdainful grunt supposed to be in between the questions, which never happened in their current exchange that was nowhere following his memory.

"I am never strong enough to protect Inuyasha no matter how much power I have obtained. Even my own life will soon prove to be useless if it can stall _his_ no longer." Sesshoumaru voiced his thought in a much calmer voice than his almost defeated expression was showing which contained a sardonic curl on the corner of his lips. "Father, if you were me, you wouldn't have allowed this the chance to happen at all, would you?"

"I have no right to answer your question, Sesshoumaru, for I am the coward Father who had left both of you to live on your own and chosen the easy way out for myself."

"Then Father, you have no right to belittle yourself either. Because only I am entitled to judge you if this is how you see it."

Low rumbling noise echoed in the Taisho's chest, it got louder until raw laughter boomed from his throat in waves. Sesshoumaru heard this sound a lot when he was still tiny and struggling to walk properly. More often whenever he completely decimated his kidnappers' entire clan all by himself only because he was bemused at waking up in a new environment nowhere resembled his personal quarter. He cared not what others saw in this matter since everything was just a game of _It_ in his childish lenses. _'He lived up to his name'_ , His Mother had remarked while his Father grinned, greatly pleased about his heir. Sesshoumaru gave up demanding a change of clothes to replace his dirty one because neither of them heard him, preferred going over his accomplishment again and again in their mind eyes. Of course they had been _stalking_ his grow with sadistic glee, only he had been too young to catch their presents within darkness at the time. No wonder how he had raised Inuyasha _"just as fucked up"_ , as his witty sibling worded it that fateful night.

Sesshoumaru waited patiently until the questionable mirth in his Father's aura subsided. His eyes fell on the almost thick layer of snow beneath their feet and for the first time he realized there was no trace of dripping crimson on white ground, neither could he smelt his Sire's blood oozing out from his supposed injuries. In fact, his Father did not appear to be suffering from any kind of wound that could cause his death soon. Definitely, "I am the one who is not right in this place, wherever it is."

"This place is the boundary between the living and the dead. However not the one you and Inuyasha had become familiar with because everything that is occurring now, is in your own consciousness."

Sesshoumaru sneered at his predicament. "So this Sesshoumaru has reached the point where he is delirious."

"It doesn't have to be a bad thing like you presume, Sesshoumaru. Only you know why your mind has taken you to this place in time."

"Are you telling me to listen to my blood, Father." Sesshoumaru raised his voice in responding to his cold fury, "The same blood that is going to take Inuyasha from me soon enough only because half of it is running within him?"

"The very same blood which you have decided to put an end to its existence if you are to lose Inuyasha." The elder stated.

"If this blood can do nothing but giving Inuyasha any more unnecessary grief and pain, what is the point in preserving it, Father."

"Then use it for Inuyasha. Can you?" His Sire challenged humorously.

_"Monk, release Inuyasha. And get out, all of you." Sesshoumaru ordered icily, drawing Bakusaiga but instead of pointing his weapon at Inuyasha, he simply held it by his side while glaring at the wary and tattered mismatch of humans and demons under Inuyasha's protection, who did none of what they were told and instead stationing themselves in front of Inuyasha to shield his younger from him. The strong smell of Inuyasha's blood was lurching his mind into a mad drive of emotional disorientation where he was starting to consider massacre this entire village because they had been partly responsible for Inuyasha's current state of demonic survival in a body that had gone through a completely wrong nature healing, disfigured his baby sibling by the wrong joins of shattered bones because of the miasma's effect feasting itself from inside his Inuyasha. He had no intention in wasting his time explaining himself to them._

_However, Inuyasha in his craze demonic mind recognized a familiar entity closer to himself than the rest, broke free of the monk's protective hold and launched himself at Sesshoumaru before the bewildered eyes of their companions and followers. But none of them ever prepared to witness Sesshoumaru wordlessly dropped his sword and embraced Inuyasha while angling the puppy ears head under his throat, effectively having Inuyasha's elongated fangs pierced his pulse as soon as their body made contact._

_"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken and Myoga shrieked in horror—_

_At the same time Sesshoumaru's bloody claws emerged from Inuyasha's back._

_"Inuyasha!" Miroku and Sango immediately sprang into action but before they could get any closer to the sibling, Bakusaiga lit up and shrouded the two Dog demons in its own demonic barrier, and Myoga. Jaken, in an insane fearless moment of feeling extremely left out because he was the most trusted and closest vassal to his Lord, but why only Myoga got to be inside the sparking green barrier, tried testing out its capacity with the tip of his tiny claw only to screech loudly when he got burned moment away from truly touching it._

_"Myoga." Sesshoumaru calmly addressed the shaking Flea demon as if he was not holding a dangerous Inuyasha biting his neck in his arms at the moment, "Secure what of his blood had yet to be contaminated this instant."_

_"R… Right away, M—My Lord." Myoga gulped and hopped up to latch onto Inuyasha's throat, immediately sank his proboscis in the flesh._

_Sesshoumaru turned his eyes to his servant, "Jaken, bring Ah-Un and fetch Kohaku. You three are to ensure he reaches my Mother together with Inuyasha's blood." If Myoga dared losing even a tiny bit of the blood while choking at his words, Sesshoumaru would kill him where he was before the old Flea even thought of escaping._

_"Sesshoumaru… you…" Sango swallowed, unable to voice her obvious question. She could hear very loud and clear from where she stood, how Inuyasha was sucking and drinking Sesshoumaru's blood while the unmissable coloring of Sesshoumaru's poison was replacing,_ purging _the black blood dripping out from Inuyasha's numerous still open wounds._

_"There is nothing you can do." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the remaining two humans, "Aside from continuing what Inuyasha has been doing here in his stead."_

_Miroku dropped to his knees and kowtowed before the demon, "Please take care of Inuyasha." Then he straightened up and pulled his reluctant wife with him. On their way out, the monk collapsed and broke down with Sango crying in grievance by his side when Sesshoumaru's voice reached them before they were out of earshot, "You have my gratitude in keeping him alive long enough for me."_

Sesshoumaru lifted his chin haughtily, "This Sesshoumaru has no need for an illusion of his Sire to tell him something had already been carried out."

"Shall I tell you something a mere illusion wouldn't be able to conjure up?" The elder demon mused with the same hint of dark humor in his tone.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes even more at the hidden challenge. Piercing golden orbs followed the movement of the slightly turned head to the half visible view of lips began to open and close, forming words soundlessly.

A smirk steadily made itself at home on Sesshoumaru's face.

Inuyasha shut his eyes in agony when Sesshoumaru tightened the hold around his back painfully. Even the near dead himself could sense his brother getting weaker by days but now, this must be the strongest demonic pulse from Sesshoumaru since the time Inuyasha had known him. Sesshoumaru's demonic aura slithered its way into his person from every direction and instead of killing him with its heavy pressure, Inuyasha felt better. Better than he ever was as if his body was truly restored but he knew it wouldn't last, it wasn't supposed to be. But to give enough for him to feel more alive than dead…

This was the same demon he had cut an arm off? This was the same demon got hit by his first Wind Scar? This was… Sesshoumaru? And he thought he could match Sesshoumaru, getting closer to be his brother's equal by strengthening Tessaiga at every chance given to him. Sesshoumaru kept getting further and further, about to be out of reach just when he thought he had come close enough to grab his back.

Inuyasha curled his arms harder around his sibling's neck to bite back a frustrated sob. _So unfair…!_

"Toutousai." Sesshoumaru stated, not looking up at the old blacksmith demon hovering above their heads.

The new comer dismounted a little very far from them and turned his head ninety degrees to one side unattractively in confusion. "I can't come any closer to you than I am." Defended Toutousai, eyeing Tessaiga leaning on the tree trunk near Inuyasha's side and Tenseiga in Sesshoumaru's hand and, Bakusaiga stood proud and menacingly all by itself, creating the impregnable barrier surrounding the two in its protective cage.

Inuyasha turned slightly to glare over his shoulder in the direction he heard Toutousai's voice come from. "What are you blabbing about? The humans could get as close as I allow."

"Only the humans, so it seems." Toutousai remarked nonchalantly. "Your swords possibly have the worst sense of humor in defending their owners from their idiotic selves and of course, outsiders."

Sesshoumaru did nothing more than a humorless grunt while Inuyasha stared at his sibling in wonder. Just how much of his brother he had yet to understand? Did he even understand Sesshoumaru at all?

What Inuyasha truly needed to recognize was Sesshoumaru could hear his thought and read his mind like an open book. But of course, unless the younger one remembered that bite (and the significant of its meaning along with the consequences when doing it _wrongly right_ ) he had given his older sibling in his mindless full demon self, he was going to live with the disturbance of not knowing because Sesshoumaru wouldn't tell him on his own about it any time soon.

"Tessaiga obviously wants to be within reach for Inuyasha while Tenseiga demands to stay in your hand. Aaah, what a tight spot you have put me to." Toutousai exhaled dramatically, paddling pass Bakusaiga without getting charcoaled like whatever smart enough to choose the method of suicide by throwing themselves at the outer shell of its round shape barrier. He squatted low to scrutinize Tenseiga with a frown, paying extra attention to the small cracks start appearing along its edge. "I have no idea about you but this cutie won't hold up much longer." The oldest addressed Sesshoumaru without sparing him a glance.

Inuyasha went to snap about what the hell this senile demon meant by that, but Sesshoumaru quietly hushed him by nipping softly at one tip of his irritated twitching ears. "Just kill him, Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha whined into his sibling's neck pitifully.

"After he returns Tessaiga and Tenseiga to its original form." Sesshoumaru informed him indulgently.

"No way!" Squawked Toutousai. "If I do that you will kill me after! You even say it yourself beside my good ol' ears like I am not sitting here eavesdropping you!"

"Return _them_ to _its_ original form?" Ignored the ranting demon, Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at his sibling. "Are you planning to discard Tenseiga?"

"Eh, this is a little different than what Shishinki told you, Inuyasha." Toutousai interjected, "He wants Tessaiga to merge into Tenseiga."

Inuyasha gaped incredulously at his sibling. Toutousai predicted an angry outburst from a half-demon feeling betrayed by his sibling's seemingly malicious intention, but perhaps not, seeing the way they were still latching onto each other like a pair of puppies until now. Hmm, how cute.

"Can he even do that, at all?" Inuyasha whispered to Sesshoumaru anxiously, shifting dubious glances between Tessaiga and whatever he could glimpse of Tenseiga from behind.

This made Toutousai felt insulted, greatly insulted. Why that imbecile puppy…! If only his life wouldn't be in danger once he kicked it…

"He is still alive, is he not." Sesshoumaru deadpanned instead of plainly acknowledge Toutousai's capability.

"Alright." Inuyasha jutted his lips, temporarily placated, then turned toward the old blacksmith, "Well?"

Toutousai magically pulled out a familiar ridiculous massive tongs from somewhere behind him and tested it with an intimidating snap. "You know the drill. Surrender your fangs to me. Now!"

Inuyasha swallowed audibly while Sesshoumaru looked like he was about to slice the thing in half with his poison whip.

"I believe some of my teeth had dropped during that time in the village. Let's use them instead." The youngest suggested hopefully.

Sesshoumaru's eyes twitched.

"Didn't you hear me?! I said _FANG!_ Not Tooth!" Toutousai howled in indignant, "And I never mentioned your tiny fang!" He pointed at Sesshoumaru's scowling face. "I meant _HIS!_ "

"Oh, I see." Inuyasha sighed in relief, then grinned at his sibling cheekily. "I will hold you. Even kiss you better. Don't worry."

Sesshoumaru's expression got darker.

"You could always do like your great Sire, you know?" Toutousai batted his owlish lashes creepily at the two, "Remember there was an incomplete fang with odd shape like it got a clean cut in the middle in your Father's Grave, Inuyasha? He purposely stayed in his true form to avoid having me plucked out the entire thing back then. Although the process of regrowing it was hundred years slower."

Inuyasha thumped a first in his open palm in realization, "Now that you mention it!"

"Look the other side, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru ordered stiffly.

"Noooooo waaaaayyyyy." Inuyasha droned, opened his eyes wider for good measure.

Sesshoumaru swore he heard a certain Father cackling in his head.

"Time is running out the longer your pride keeps stalling you, you know?" Toutousai taunted.

Sesshoumaru decided he would thoroughly feed Toutousai to Ah-Un when this was over. "Do it." He groused. Only Inuyasha picked up the strain in his voice, being closer to his brother than the other demon. Despite what he said, Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned up to press his mouth firmly on his brother's throat while tightening his arms around Sesshoumaru when it happened.

"Before I can proceed," Toutousai gestured at Tessaiga with his hand, "Sesshoumaru, don't you have anything to tell it?"

Inuyasha tilted his head, now that was an adorable sight in this hold mess, and picked up Tessaiga with one hand to raise it before their eye level. "You know this all along, don't you?"

Whoever the question aimed at, neither of the two demons knew.

Sesshoumaru covered Inuyasha's hand on the hilt with his. "This has to be done, Inuyasha." His lips whispered in a puppy ear.

The half-demon nodded in acknowledgement. "I'm prepared to be burned alive with you. But I don't think it will happen anytime soon, so I will hold you very tight that you are unable to push me away just in case things don't go as you planned." And Inuyasha withdrew his hand, leaving Sesshoumaru's the only thing held Tessaiga.

The demonic barrier on Tessaiga flared up like every time any demon touched it, only there was no scent of burned flesh in the air this time as Inuyasha witnessed the event unfold. And it ended with Tessaiga snuggled silently in the demon's hand like it did Inuyasha's.

"Hmm, very well." Toutousai scratched his chin in contemplation, "Took you long enough to realize the farce, right?"

"Farce?" Inuyasha echoed in confusion.

"Your Father must have left more than one hint for him to obtain Tessaiga if he so desired it. However, they all were more like conditions than hints. Your darling brother here has the level of selfishness from both his parents combine, I tell you." Toutousai ranted on, completely oblivious to Sesshoumaru's glare or he just ignored it for the sake of his poor old heart.

"I never meant to use Tenseiga for Inuyasha. I have no use for it back then." Sesshoumaru stared down at Inuyasha, who deliberately avoided his eyes.

Toutousai raised an eyebrow, but there was no surprise in his voice, "You still think he is a mere half-breed staining your blood?"

"I was humiliated by Father choosing to give me Tenseiga."

"I know." Inuyasha whispered sourly.

"Because he indicated I was incapable of protecting you, carelessly leaving you died somewhere along the way so that I would obediently learn how to use it."

The younger half-demon parted his lips to let out a gasp with wide eyes jerked up to their older twins.

Sesshoumaru let the eye contact remain for several moments until his lids fell, "He was right. But when I need it most…"

"Well, stop sulking because I am here to save the day again!" Toutousai snatched the swords from Sesshoumaru's hands and plopped down beside them. "Keep him grounded, will you Inuyasha? Even if he understands killing me now will not benefit any of you, his hot head thinks otherwise."

"No, _he_ 's holding _me_ back because _I_ want to kill you myself." Inuyasha grilled through his struggle in Sesshoumaru's arms to do just that. Because Toutousai got to hear something only meant for his ears.

"Then you are free to distract your murderous intent with someone else." Toutousai slammed his hammer down on the two swords, large amount of demonic flame pouring out of his puffing mouth. "Like talking about old time, but in his point of view. By the way, I took two of his fangs and he looks very ridiculous now, you know?"

Inuyasha blinked, his wriggling stopped abruptly when Sesshoumaru became rigid and turned his head away. The half-demon stared and his eyes inching closer to his sibling's tight mouth, "Reeeeeaaaally?"

"Uh huh." Toutousai banged his hammer on the swords again.

Sesshoumaru ignored them all together while trying to retreat from Inuyasha's advance. How ironic.

"Let me see it," Inuyasha coaxed foxily, "I will definitely lick it better."

Sesshoumaru glared at him and gritted his teeth tighter.

* * *

When the first quarter moon was setting at the wee hour…

"Well then, since I have no plan to risk my life sleeping with you, I am heading back to my own warm turf." Toutousai climbed on his cow and took off before either of their attacks could hit him.

"That creep… pervert… senile… creep…!" Inuyasha wheezed under his breath from his sudden movement to murder the fleeing demon.

The only reason Sesshoumaru's poison whips didn't hit their target was because he had to catch Inuyasha when the latter leaped after Toutousai only to be too weak to land on his feet safely.

Inuyasha looked up at his brother, but Sesshoumaru's attention was on the newly emerged Tessaiga? Tenseiga? He had no idea what it was anymore. It looked like… both. But how was it possible for a sword to look like two at the same time? Aside from the rusty old hilt, its blade looked as deadly as Tessaiga but at the same time, as harmless as Tenseiga. Mesmerized by it, Inuyasha didn't realize Sesshoumaru had carried him closer until it was within arm reach, but he snapped out of it when his feet touched ground as Sesshoumaru carefully settled him down.

"You are going after them, are you not." Sesshoumaru's whisper caressed a puppy ear.

Inuyasha nodded. "This humiliation and my wounded pride, I will avenge them."

In reply to his answer, the new sword pulsated strongly, spreading its demonic aura, bypassed Bakusaiga's barrier and almost cover the entire forest.

"Recall the time I first held Toukijin and make it yours, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru ordered.

The frantic little heart inside Inuyasha missed a beat. It was… for him?

A trembling hand hesitantly reached toward the sword. But stopped hairbreadth away from the first lash out of the wild weapon. Inuyasha closed his eyes and dropped his hand. No. He had never wished for power to revenge.

_"Your swords possibly have the worst sense of humor in defending their owners from their idiotic selves …"_

_"Tessaiga obviously wants to be within reach for Inuyasha while Tenseiga demands to stay in your hand."_

_"… returns Tessaiga and Tenseiga to its original form…"_

_"He wants Tessaiga to merge into Tenseiga."_

_"Because he indicated I was incapable of protecting you, carelessly leaving you died somewhere along the way so that I would obediently learn how to use it."_

This sword had been created by Sesshoumaru's desire to protect him. His heart ached with recognition. _Sesshoumaru, you bastard…_

The vicious demonic aura reduced to a light breeze before dissipated as Inuyasha's hands determinedly took hold of the hilt and hauled it off the ground. That was when he saw them, what Sesshoumaru must have been fighting against this entire time or he should have been dead. The Hell imps, something only Tenseiga could kill. But before Inuyasha lifted the sword to strike them, a pulse sprang from it and purified every entity that did not belong to the living. He raised his weapon and ran the pad of his forefinger along its edge, "This is… Tenseiga." As soon as he said it, Inuyasha grimaced slightly and withdrew his digit as if he was burned to see a thin trail of blood leaking from the most recent cut inflicted by none other than his idiotic self.

Sesshoumaru caught his wrist from behind and licked the blood clean.

"What…? How can I get hurt…? Tenseiga couldn't…" Inuyasha stammered, too shock to think straight.

"If it has only been Tenseiga." Sesshoumaru licked the corner of Inuyasha's mouth and nuzzled his neck affectionately, taking in the younger scent deeply, "You smell nice. Delicious. As edible as you have always been."

Inuyasha almost dropped the sword at feeling _it_ again. That same sensation had made him want Sesshoumaru do something to him that night. Only the difference now was, he wanted to _do_ that something he had wanted Sesshoumaru do to him, to his brother. And smelt nice… Sesshoumaru smelt nice, too. A little _too_ nice…

Instead of saying so, Inuyasha angled his head backward to properly kiss his brother, his free hand weaving in silken hair down Sesshoumaru's nape and lowered to his neck,

Where he felt the texture of those blood roots thing he had seen on Sesshoumaru days ago.

Inuyasha immediately broke the kiss to turn around and pulled the white attire open enough to see what it was.

Behind him, Miroku, Sango, Jaken and Kohaku arrived from sensing the earlier demonic aura burst from the sword. However, before any of the humans and demon could question their well-being, Inuyasha cut in sharply just as calmly with a deadly edge, "Was it me who bit him?"

None dared to make a noise, their survival instinct told them to shut up because it was too late to run for their lives now. But there was a thud of Hiraikotsu hit the ground before long since Sango needed both her hands to cover her mouth gasping in horror at the sight of the demon's neck.

It looked like the worst kind of parasite, and two of them, looking harmless like two black dots minus the blood veins stemmed from there and digging their nest on Sesshoumaru skin. Miroku suspected the lower part of its roots still hidden under his kimono had long reached his heart while the sources squeezing his artery, each of the pulsates felt as if something bigger was sucking away Sesshoumaru's blood if not his life, or could be both, into itself.

Inuyasha raised his hand to caress a pale cheek. The usual him would be running away by now, as far away from his friend and especially Sesshoumaru to wallow in his misery, for hurting his brother, for forcing himself on his brother, for violating his brother…

"Leave." Inuyasha glanced at them from the corner of his eyes, enough for the onlookers to see a part of his otherwise shadowed expression, "Leave before you can't."

"He turns demon!" Jaken squeaked loudly in terrified at the familiar jagged purple strip on Inuyasha's cheek and the same purple strips on his lids like Sesshoumaru's red ones. His limbs were shaking too bad under the glare even rivaled that of his Lord.

Miroku grabbed the green imp by the back of his neck and took his wife's hand in his. Kohaku caught his intention, went to scoop up Hiraikotsu in his arms and together, they evacuated the forest. "Don't do things you will regret, Inuyasha!" Miroku shouted over his shoulders, not slowing down and could only hope Inuyasha pick up with his demonic hearing.

Jaken kicked the air in random directions, "No! Put me down! Sesshoumaru-samaaaaaaaaaa!" Kohaku whacked him into unconscious using Hiraikotsu conveniently in his hands.

Inuyasha stabbed his sword on the ground to free his hand and caressed Sesshoumaru's other cheek with it. "How long are you going to keep this silence?"

"What are you going to do if you know any sooner?" Sesshoumaru inquired back instead of giving an answer, "It's possible you might want to run away and then come back, feeling obligated to do something for me in return."

"Or maybe I want to make use of it and touch you the same way you want to touch me." To prove his point, Inuyasha licked a trail on his brother's neck and sucked one certain place until a red mark formed on the fair skin.

Sesshoumaru tightened the circle of his arms around Inuyasha's back, his breathing slightly uneven when wandering fingers sneaked under the opening of his attire to brush the skin below his collarbone. "Have I told you why two dominances are forbidden to perform the Hallowed Unification with each other?" The demon breathed in his younger's ears.

"Because they may kill each other to fight for initial bite from not knowing which of them is the better. Unlike within Royals, that had already been established through acknowledgment among themselves unless they are foolish enough to kill off the only mean to continue their pure bloodline." Inuyasha ran his fingers over the angry bite mark, "But you never tell me what will happen to the one who bears this mark all by himself, and what will happen to him when the one gives this to him die. It is okay now to tell me, right?" Inuyasha pressed their lips together chastely. "I want to know before my chance is lost."

"I will die."

"This won't do." Inuyasha shook his head, "I may be like Kikyo and reincarnate in 500 years. Kagome was manipulated to come in this era and her return said enough about where I am in her time, but I have no means to find you like that."

"I can return the favor if it makes you feel better." Sesshoumaru indulged in amusement.

"Can't too." The half-demon shook his head again, "It's disgusting. This body had been ridiculed, broken, shamefully damaged beyond repair no matter how good you have come close to make it look healthy like now. It's disgusting me this dirty body is allowed to touch you like this because my desire for you is unbearable. If luck smiles at it further by receiving your bite, I might destroy it before I can think of the need to use it for killing my enemies."

"I'm having you. It does not matter what happened to your body."

"I feel loved. That's why the only thing I can make up for you is pay back whoever got in my way. Now. Before I suck your blood and life dry." Inuyasha grinned and pulled his waiting sword off the ground. "Have you seen Myoga? He disappeared when things got a little rough." The younger wondered absentmindedly.

"He is smart enough to not linger in the same area I am occupying."

"Too bad. This may be his only chance to have a taste of your blood when you are too distracted to kill him properly."

* * *

Inuyasha glanced sideways from his place, perching on Sesshoumaru's massive nostril because he wanted to ride on a gigantic dog to his enemy's not so secret base. Beside, Sesshoumaru happened to be the only one knew where it was. "So," The half-demon yawned and stretched his limbs, "Why are you tagging along?"

"I'm revenging my wife and friends." Was Miroku reply.

"I'm going to pay back for my husband and friends." That was Sango.

"I didn't get to fight last time." Kohaku reasoned.

"I'll go with My Lord everywhere he goes!" Jaken squeaked behind Kohaku's back.

"A half-ass monk, a preggy woman slayer wife of said monk, a slayer boy who is planning to marry Rin in several years, an imp who would mostly get stomped on the head because no one saw him in the way." Inuyasha drawled.

"P… P—p—p…!" Sango and Miroku stuttered.

"Aneue, Aniue, please turn back this instant." Kohaku deadpanned.

"No!" Sango snapped in embarrassment, "But…!" Hers and Miroku's face looked really torn.

"Good for you since I will be the one do all the work. So watch me and don't lift a hand." Inuyasha waved his hand dismissively.

"WHAT?!" The humans yelled.

"So annoying." Inuyasha covered his ears, frowning in irritation. "Alright, Kirara, Ah-Un, let's have a race. We are heading that way," He pointed at the furthest, highest and most intimidate no less ugly looking rift between two adjacent mountain edges, "I can smell their miasma from here already. We are not that far now."

"Inuyasha- _kun_ ," Miroku deliberately added the honorific and emphasized it in his incredulous expression, "It looks like one eighth a day of flying from where we are now."

Sesshoumaru let out a pleased growl through his displaying pearly fangs. At least Miroku thought so because Sesshoumaru looked like he was grinning, if this was how a dog grinning face looked like. The monk might be unable to look at dogs the same way again, no matter how innocent the puppies appeared to be. If Sesshoumaru was the son then he really didn't want to face the somewhat mentioned Mother any time soon. And Myoga had looked like he was preparing to die when he headed off. Miroku shivered visibly. Sango decided she didn't want to know what was running in her husband's mind.

"Hurry up Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha urged his sibling, who was taking his sweet time leisurely _floating_ in the air. "Ah-Un becomes a dot! You hear me?! A DOT!" He screeched at the end of his speech.

"Hmm, dragon is a very competitive specie." The monk observed Sesshoumaru's mount already disappeared from sight with Kohaku and Jaken.

"Let's go, Kirara." Sango petted the Cat demon's head. Kirara growled, her natural aggressiveness kicked in and sped pass the two Dog demons in half a blink.

"I can't believe this!" Inuyasha hollered at the top of his lungs. His nonchalant sibling still kept the same pace as he had been, ignoring his demands. "I know you are old, but you can't possibly be _that_ old, can you?!"

Sesshoumaru snorted and, to Inuyasha's horror, he started flying lower until they neared the ground within a totally dark and foreboding forest. Then Sesshoumaru ran. _Ran_ among the trees.

"FUCK MY LIFE!"

* * *

Kohaku looked between the two-heads dragon when they glanced at each other from time to time. "Jaken-sama, do you think they catch something?"

"Hmm?" Jaken stared at the two heads' antic, then he sniffed the air. "Mmm, I can smell Sesshoumaru-sama very close by too, but…" He looked around and behind them, "I can't see him anywhere."

"What happens, Kohaku?" Sango asked, having caught up with them.

"Aneue, it seems Sesshoumaru-sama is somewhere around here but we can't spot him." Kohaku informed her.

Kirara growled, nodding her agreement.

* * *

Inuyasha watched another boulder slammed into the prism-like rock and knocked the latter away by Sesshoumaru's psychokinesis before a white aura swirling like maelstrom appeared where the odd shape object had been. Sesshoumaru ran through it within instant before it disappeared immediately behind them. When Inuyasha opened his eyes, they had gone way ahead from where they had been previously.

"So they sold our teleportation secret to the black dragon, err, Ryuukotsusei, but then realized your Mother was the one really controlling the Palace's entries at her own whims, so they went into hiding all this time using it to fend off opponents or run away without notice." Inuyasha summed up.

 _"Only those share our blood or being escorted by us can enter the Palace. It has been our Fortress since the very beginning of our bloodline. Ironically enough, while it can be named our safest Haven with the impregnable barrier, we have been hunted because of its secrets."_ The voice of Sesshoumaru rang in his younger one's head. _"We don't own lands like human Warlords and Kings. Other tribes pledge alliance with us for our protection by offering something of theirs. The Palace holds that knowledge within, making use of it to strengthen itself over time."_

"Sounds familiar to Tessaiga." Remarked the half-demon.

 _"Somewhat. However,"_ Sesshoumaru continued, _"The other party doesn't necessarily lose their offering if we decide to take it for ourselves."_

"And I see they found it unfair because we keep getting stronger while the rest of them always the weak ones living under our protection forever, so they decided to usurp the Palace after Ryuukotsusei and the Old Man killed each other off." Inuyasha tilted his head from side to side. "I'm starting to feel bad for Tessaiga and Tenseiga. The available test objects are not even worthy as one Naraku."

Sesshoumaru made another boulder crash into another prism-like rock. _"Draw your sword, Inuyasha."_

* * *

"ANEUE! ANIUE!" Kohaku screamed, throwing his chain-sickle at the demon looming over the unsuspecting Miroku and Sango out of nowhere. _I can't make it!_ His mind cried desperately.

The demon was briefly crushed by pristine massive front paw, also appeared out of nowhere.

"Yo," Inuyasha stood shouldering the blade of Tessaiga on Sesshoumaru's head, chin raised arrogantly, "True heroes always arrive late, you know?"

 

* * *

 _O that our night of woe might have rememb'red_  
_My deepest sense, how hard true sorrow hits,_  
_And soon to you as you to me then tendered_  
_The humble salve which wounded bosoms fits!_  
_But that your trespass now becomes a fee;_  
_Mine ransoms yours, and yours must ransom me._  
_— Sonnet 120, Shakespear_

**Author's Note:**

> What to say, hmm. I have fun starting to write this story and it will be done in 2 more chapters. Because while it is a stand alone story, there is some parts relate to another story, too. Because this is still one of my AR in cannon verse, and I don't have many points of view regarding it so the general ideas are same.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts would be much appreciated.


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